To partially automate the typing process and increase the typing rate, automatic sheet feeding mechanisms have been devised for manually operated typewriters in which the sheets are fed into the typewriter by operation of the platen.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,430,748, the feeding mechanism includes a housing mounted on the typewriter and a pack of sheets to be typed is located within a supply compartment or magazine. Feed rollers are connected to the platen and are driven from the conventional platen drive which is coupled to the motor. When the motor is energized, the feed rolls are operated to automatically feed a new sheet into the typewriter. As the sheet is typed, it is moved upwardly into a storage compartment in the housing.
With the system as disclosed in Pat. No. 3,340,748, the operator activates the feeding mechanism to automatically feed the paper into the typewriter, and after manual operation of the typewriter the sheet is moved to the storage compartment. The system as shown in the aforementioned patent eliminates the need of the operator separately inserting sheets into the typewriter.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,110, describes a sheet feeding mechanism for an automatic typewriter. In accordance with the structure shown in the aforementioned patent application, a pack of sheets to be typed is stored in a magazine or supply compartment in a housing mounted on the typewriter and the feed mechanism includes a pair of cooperating feed rolls which sequentially feed the sheets to the platen of the typewriter. One of the feed rolls is coupled to a motor and the motor, in turn, is connected to the platen of the typewriter. A clutch interconnects the platen with the normal platen drive.
When it is desired to feed a sheet to the platen, the clutch is disengaged and the feed roll motor is energized to thereby feed the outermost sheet in the pack to the platen. The leading edge of the sheet, after passing around the platen, engages a sensing mechanism which acts to re-arrange the clutch to connect the platen to the platen drive to thereby begin the operation of the typing in accordance with the desired programming. When the typing has been completed, a signal is generated to drive the feed roll motor and disengage the clutch to move the sheet to a storage compartment located within the housing.